A high school football coach has tragically died after losing consciousness during a game in Pennsylvania.
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Ed Dawson, a 55-year-old head football coach at Cornell High School in Coraopolis, suffered a medical emergency on Friday, October 23.
Cornell was facing Rochester High School in Rochester, Pennsylvania, when Dawson became unresponsive during the second quarter.
High School Football Coach Dies After Collapsing During Game
Emergency responders rushed Dawson to a nearby hospital, where doctors later pronounced him dead.
"This is an extremely difficult situation," school superintendent Aaron Thomas said in a statement.
"To say Coach Dawson was an integral part of Cornell School District would be an understatement. It is hard to put into words what Coach Dawson means to Cornell and we are all heartbroken, crushed and in shock."
"We will work to ensure our students and staff have the resources they need and right now our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Dawson and his family."
Cornell athletic director Bill Sacco explained that Dawson had initially told an assistant coach he was not feeling well during the game.
The assistant advised Dawson to sit on the bench, but the coach eventually lay down as his condition deteriorated.
Sacco recalled that Dawson suddenly "wasn't moving," prompting an urgent response from medical personnel.
First responders performed CPR for several minutes before transporting the coach to the hospital.
Cornell Football Community Mourns Longtime Head Coach
Dawson's sudden death has left the Cornell football community devastated, with school officials now facing difficult decisions about the team's immediate future.
"There will be discussions with a large group of people deciding what the next step will be," Sacco continued. "It will be a hard one no matter what step we take."
"Cornell will grieve for a long time. We lost a great guy. I am not sure how we will get back to where we need to be. I guess we'll see what happens."
Sacco also confirmed that discussions would involve "everyone, including Coach Dawson's wife, to see if she feels we should go on."
Cornell was leading Rochester 16-6 when the medical emergency occurred.
The team entered Friday's matchup with a 3-5 overall record and a 1-4 mark in the Big 7 Conference, with its playoff hopes still alive.
Dawson had served as Cornell's head football coach since 2011, becoming a familiar and respected figure within the school community.
Authorities have not yet publicly disclosed his cause of death.
